fontanabound
20 posts
Dec 11, 2008
6:24 PM
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SHOULD I BUILD A NEW KIT BOX! SO MY BIRDS SET IN TOTAL DARKNESS. MY BUDDY SAYS IT WELL MAKE MY BIRDS FLY BETTER. (HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WIT SHORT FLIGHT TIMES}.....IS DARKNESS REALLY A FACTOR IN THIS GAME?
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silver tail
661 posts
Dec 11, 2008
6:33 PM
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I don't think that is the problem you need to check a few other things such as Cock birds matting to the hens ect. The amount of feed your feeding may be the best bet.
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quickspin
955 posts
Dec 11, 2008
6:39 PM
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I have had dark kit boxes and wire front kit boxes and they fly the same.
The only thing that I notice made a difference was the size of the kit box it self. Having it too big gave them the liberty to fly inside and soon will become lazy and fly less.
One thing to consider is when they are in lock down for 6 months they will have no light to go it and put your self in there position.
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SALAS LOFT
I.C.R.C
Last Edited by on Dec 11, 2008 6:40 PM
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bigwilly
755 posts
Dec 11, 2008
6:55 PM
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I red in the Pesom book that the less light is better
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BIG WILLY
TOPP FLIGHT/NCRC
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fontanabound
22 posts
Dec 11, 2008
7:07 PM
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brudahpete, I THINK YOUR RIGHT.
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Bill C
144 posts
Dec 11, 2008
7:08 PM
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You should build another kit box so you can fly your birds according to age. Put the older ones in one box and the younger ones in the other.
Dark kit boxes only help out in the first five minutes of flying. It can help make rollers roll alot when released but it wares off fast. I does help out with birds breeding in the box but if you feed too much they will mate in the dark anyway.
Your short flying has nothing to do with the kit box, It has to do with the amount of feed and the consistancy in training. That is something you have to work out and learn. hand in there!
If you build another box I would have a wire front and keep it where they get sun light ( they need vitamin D ) if you have a dark kit box you should supply Vitamin D to your birds. I use Cod liver oil pils on the feed once in a while, but mine do get some sun light. Sunshine is good! BillC
Last Edited by on Dec 11, 2008 7:11 PM
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brudahpete
320 posts
Dec 11, 2008
7:15 PM
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I agree Bill, age of birds & feed are huge factors & yes multiple boxes are wise.
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fresnobirdman
292 posts
Dec 11, 2008
9:45 PM
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they will suffer from the heat in the summer.
~~Fresnobirdman~~
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chewy
198 posts
Dec 12, 2008
1:27 AM
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well i dont like dark, dark kitboxes..but i like small kitboxes...that makes the birds want to fly more..instead of being lazy....just my thoughts..
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Windjammer Loft
592 posts
Dec 12, 2008
11:24 AM
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fontanabound....First of all do not use CAPS. Denotes that you are yelling at us. Secondly, look at the policy of this forum. Do what is required of you from this forum.
Nowadays its a matter of preference....dark or light. I myself prefer to have light.
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Fly High and Roll On
Paul
Last Edited by on Dec 13, 2008 8:02 AM
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tou2son
71 posts
Dec 12, 2008
11:30 AM
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You know guys. Now this is just my opinion correct me if i'm wrong. But the way i see things. Dark kit boxes only makes em fly because in the dark there's less things to do, while in lighted kits they can move here to there which already uses their energy. Now about which is better? i really don't have a clue, new into this hobby myself, but from raising other birds i know that it doesn't really matter.
tou2son
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fhtfire
1714 posts
Dec 12, 2008
10:27 PM
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I have found that a dark kit box is HOGWASH>>>lol...I have yet to see a difference in my birds....it does not affect fly time....excitement....nothing....Bill C is right...some families the first five minutes gets them a little active...but they are usually not scorable breaks and you WANT your birds to SETTLE DOWN and get into a rythm...as far as the Hanky Panky...I have flown mixed sexes for years with little or no problem with hanky panky....unless they are fed up on a consistant basis...as soon as they get the weight on...they are ready to get it on....so the feed can is the key to the kit box....space is the key too....the only time my kit boxes are closed up is when it is cold...and during hawk season...other then that..they are open to the sunlight...I feel that happy healthy birds roll better....but I have yet to see a benefit to keeping the kit box dark except to keep the cold or wind out...
rock and ROLL
Paul
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fhtfire
1715 posts
Dec 12, 2008
10:31 PM
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Oh...and as far as age...I dont keep my birds together based on age...I keep them together based on performance.....I had 08 in my A, B and young bird teams...my A-team for the Fall fly was over half...08's////so like performance not age...at least that is what has worked for me...A bird that is rolling good will be held back in a young bird team..and a bird that is not rolling good will mess up a working team....you dont know how many times I put a bird from the Young bird team to the B-team and they shifted into another gear and a B-team bird to the A-team...they to also shifted into another gear...regardless of age.
rock and ROLL
Paul
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Scott
1344 posts
Dec 13, 2008
8:34 AM
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There is no purpose what so ever in having dark kit boxes,the birds need light and fresh air plus you can't enjoy your birds.
Now I can darken mine at will and will do so prior to a fly
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Just my Opinion
Scott
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kcfirl
529 posts
Dec 13, 2008
8:37 AM
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OK - there is no purpose but you can and do do it before a fly - that makes sense! LOL
There is another purpose top dark kit boxes, keeping the birds quieter, on their perches, and not pairing up and laying eggs.
I'm not saying birds should be kept in the dark all the time. I am saying their are reasons for having dark kit boxes in terms of flying comp kits.
Ken
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Scott
1345 posts
Dec 13, 2008
8:46 AM
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Ken, if kit birds are laying eggs they are over fed,as for darkening before a fly,does it help ?
I can't say for sure,my gut feeling says no, most though either build it dark or not,I built mine with options, and personaly I can't stand seeing birds in dark kitboxes.
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Just my Opinion
Scott
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Customkev
41 posts
Dec 13, 2008
8:50 AM
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The problem your having could be a result of many things. I'd start by making sure they were on a regular schedule with the feed and the fly time every day and look for birds pulling them down...
Having them in the dark prior to comp is a must for me. If flying cocks and hens in the same team it keeps them from mating up and keeps the travel from perch to perch to a minimum this keeps them from exerting excess energy. I have panels that cover the wire fronts on my doors and put them up once I put the cocks and hens together prior to a comp usually about a month and a 1/2 prior to a comp... Good Luck... Kev
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j .wanless
543 posts
Dec 13, 2008
8:53 AM
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hi all
good point ken i dont keep mine in darkness .though i used to 20 yrs ago.it does help if you are flying mixed birds to stop them pairing.another good point is here in the u.k if we qualify for our nationals they are flown in sept when our birds are going through the moult.so if you keep y/bs in darkness you can hold back the moult until after all the flys then open them up + let them moult.thats how all the racing men fly over here.
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Velo99
1982 posts
Dec 14, 2008
7:14 AM
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This is one of the boxes I built.
I can use it either way with out a lot of hassle.
The sole purpose of a dark kitbox is to calm the birds before a contest in hopes they will start performing earlier,using more time performing versus warming up.
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V99
blue sky single beat
in cadance performing now
earth beckons the winged
drawn breath is let quickly forth
orchestral movement follows
___ ~_____
\__\_/-|_| \__\____
/()_)__48___()_)\__\
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quality
55 posts
Dec 14, 2008
8:38 AM
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Dark or light it does not matter it's preferrence. I perfer light kit boxes. Gives them better feathering, most importantly it keeps them dry & well ventilated.
The most important to me is how close the birds perch together. Your birds spend most time in the kit box & fly & trap in at very max 2 hours, so 22 hours in the box. I find if they perch close they kit tighter.----------
Yours in the Hobby
Don Lunau
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Velo99
1983 posts
Dec 14, 2008
2:19 PM
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I dont keep them in the dark all the time. On the offs I open one side of the box and let them get the light they need. In the summer it is too hot to keep em locked down. In the spring it is a pain to keep the eggs out of the kitbox.
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V99
blue sky single beat
in cadance performing now
earth beckons the winged
drawn breath is let quickly forth
orchestral movement follows
___ ~_____
\__\_/-|_| \__\____
/()_)__48___()_)\__\
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sundance
912 posts
Dec 14, 2008
3:45 PM
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Training is the key to getting them to fly the time. Once a kit is established and kitting well I start refusing to let them land early. I`ll stand at the box with a flag and wave them back up as soon as they start to come down. They learn what a 20 or 30 minute fly is and then when they land they get the feed can.
I dont know how you feed either, but I suppose its possible for them to be too hungry. Young birds in the first few months need more feed. I dont start cutting their feed till after they are about 6 months old and performing to some degree.
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Butch @
Sundance Roller Lofts
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sundance
913 posts
Dec 14, 2008
3:49 PM
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Oh, and I dont buy the dark kitbox theory either. It can make them come out blazing hot but you might get more bumpers that way with a really hot family at a low altitude. They need to get up in the air before they turn it on. The best birds know this but the young ones and the over hot birds will bump as soon as they are released. Just my experience with darkening the boxs.... and with my family
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Butch @
Sundance Roller Lofts
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J_Star
1805 posts
Dec 15, 2008
6:57 AM
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Darkening the Kit Box couple of days before and thru to the fly time will help with Kitting issue if the team doesn't kit good.
Darkening the Kit Box a few hours before a fly will help to get the birds to maximize their rest and relaxation for better performance.
Darkening the Kit Box 10 min after feeding will help minimize greatly the hanky banky stuff. if you are feeding in the evening, you need to undarken it in the morning or afternoon.
You will never be able to stop the birds from pairing, but as I stated above will insure eggs layed in the kitbox to a minimum.
Jay
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Joe K
12 posts
Dec 15, 2008
8:09 PM
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i have to admit, that Fhtfire, pretty much said it all, reguarding the kitboxes, and the behavior of the birds.
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fontanabound
45 posts
Dec 28, 2008
1:30 PM
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thank guys for all the info.Hey pual, sorry for the caps didnt know you were taken it that way!!!. i think will just build another kit box...soon!
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Windjammer Loft
624 posts
Dec 28, 2008
3:59 PM
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fontanabound...Its just proper forum etiquett... Any caps denotes your yelling, we are trying to minimize problems with the new guys.... I have experienced that "light or dark" kitboxes makes no difference in the performance of my birds. My birds always have excess to the outside at any time. Weather it be my breeders,fly teams or prisoners.
Fly High and Roll On
Paul
Last Edited by on Apr 26, 2010 9:35 AM
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RodSD
133 posts
Dec 28, 2008
11:00 PM
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Rollers darkening system is different compared to homers. In homers darkening system is used to delay molt. So during the race season the birds still have full feathers to compete.
I do notice that dark loft calms pigeon down. Obviously if they can't see much, they wont be much active. But I rather have airy, well-lighted loft. Pigeons need lots of light and air for their health.
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DON
5 posts
Apr 22, 2010
8:21 PM
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I live in Arizona, the heat is a major factor in having open, airy kit boxes. Anything too closed up will cause the birds to suffer from the heat. Don
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Roll Down
105 posts
Apr 22, 2010
10:07 PM
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I think that keeping your birds in a dark kit box is cruel.
If you have to keep them like that to get them to roll, you better try another family of birds.
In my opinion.
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